The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1887-12-24
A NOTE OF SPECULATION.
BosToS. Dec. IL. 1881.

BosToS. Dec. Il 1881.
The human race instinctively moves
south and west. The Phenician mer-
chants, two thousand years ago,
sailed their vessels west. Commerce.,
population and power followed IN
their track. The great Alexander
with his army, with following OF
merchants, took an eastward course,
but 1t was to open a channel for the
merchandise of the east to find Its
way westward. Ancient Pb9nicia, as
a commercial power, reached il, limit
and faded out as a commercial cen
ter. Carthage absorbed her depart
ing vlgor, aud in the lapse OF time
she passed the sway Of trade to Ven
ice and Genoa, and their wind COM
ing TO aud end, Holland occupied the
the seat of honor and power; thence
to England, the present controlling
power OF the world in trade and
finance. Where next? As a reply
we will accept the prophecy of King
George the III, in 1T75. In a meet
ing OF his cabinet to discuss the hos
tile attitude of the American colo
nies, he said that If she colonies.
were allowed their independence,
they would, in the lapse OF time, un-
dermlne Great Britain. liz the phi
losophy Of shift and drift, history
vouches for iu the past, Is 10 hold
the sway OF the world, King George
tho Ill. was true prophet, and En-
gland must pass the honors OF con-
trolling the commerce and finance Of
the world to the United States.
To-day our Nations growth and
rapid advancement is philosophical
wonder, and 10 the American citizen
a matter OF pride. From the dawn of
mans history to the present day, his
present impulse has been to work
from coarse to fine, from few 10 many,
to prepare the earth for a great
place on which to build a great enl-
pire.
English statisticians inform Us that
the United States can support sixteen
million people. Should this point
ever be reached, and we build rail
roads In the proportion OF to-day.
We should have three million
and three hundred thousand miles of
railroad, and their rosdbed would
subtract from agricultural uses as
much land as some OF the Kingdoms
OF Europe contain. Our continent
perpetuates the westward bent Of its
citizens similarly to that OF Europe.
Our census informs us how many and
the speed that marks this immense
march to the Pacific; genial climate.
fertile soil, vast rivers. the finest
mountain scenery in the world, with
the persuasive allurements of the Pa
cific ocean and the islands. far beyond,
OF spice and poetry; and teeming ISL
ands are irresistible attractions to
our own continent and that of Eu-
rope. We feel quite sure of popula.
ton OF five hundred million, not many
generations in advance. or this num-
ber we should allot at least a hun
dred and fifty million from Alaska to
lower California, beyond the noun
talns. The figures amaze Us, but the
realities Of national growth agitate
the mind beyond any OF the functions
OF the imagination. In this great, be
hhNCAluk lubuIo WIZ huOHs Uut NIldI
more steamers will be found on the
Pacific than the Atlantic, and that
tho simmering process of mixtures of
Asia and America in kinship will not
come In. Look al Europe. The ice
men and the spice men met and i'm
proved the whole. The earth and the
races are perpetual woRdcrment.
MOTH ABOUT OTHER MArTHRa
1t is Boston's social period. Wealth.
education and taste contribute to the
happiness OF Boston folks. Our city
is so compact and small in area that
the room is scant for much mischief.
In religion we once thought strongly,
but are much altered now; in pslitics,
an elevated observation above uu-
sound arguments, and bad voting. the
the city is partial to. Our schools
stand in the foreground Of shows.
We mean that truth and right shall
be the base OF our structure; indeed,
truth and justice are the prsponder-
ance OF the world. VS..